Chapter 51 Elariya
Elariya
“With New Eyes.”
The mouth of the dragon’s cave yawned before us, jagged stone framing the dark like teeth.
Cold air rushed out in steady breaths, carrying the scent of ash, iron, and something older—something alive beneath the rock. The walls inside shimmered faintly with mineral veins that caught my lanternlight, fracturing it into tiny glimmers.
This was the first time I’d been here since returning to Galaythia. Other than the first time I ventured into the cave, there weren’t any other journal entries. I understood if I’d never returned. The cave was creepy.
Garrick muttered under his breath as Arielle and I stepped inside. He followed, grumbling like he had all the way here.
He hadn’t liked our plan at all. He thought it was dangerous. He liked it even less that we’d involved him.
I didn’t want to drag him into this, but we’d needed him for a few reasons, safety being the biggest one. He could also help Arielle with the shield for the spell if I was successful here.
I was going to attempt the spell without Wolfe. Last night showed me I could.
In my hand was a vial, small enough to disappear in my palm, but big enough to capture magical essence from a time dragon. That was the goal.
I held up the lantern, pushing forward like I knew what I was doing, but the tremor in my legs gave me away.
I knew we should at least wait for everyone else—especially Wolfe—but something was driving me to do this. I didn’t want to wait. Grandmother always said the best time to do something is when you felt like it, especially if that thing was important to you.
I was at my wit’s end with patience, so the time had to be now.
“This is a terrible idea,” Garrick huffed, his voice echoing off the stone walls. “Wolfe is going to kill me. Actually, kill me. Not in the metaphorical friend way.”
Arielle didn’t slow. “He won’t kill you, stop complaining.”
“He absolutely will. You know he will.” He shot her a look. “The dragons don’t like magic being done in their caves when Wolfe isn’t around. And they do not like me.”
A distant rumble vibrated through the cavern, subtle but unmistakable. That sounded like Hedion.
Garrick pointed upward toward where the sound came from. “You hear that? They’re already restless.”
“They’re not restless,” Arielle said calmly.
“They are absolutely fucking restless.” His scowl deepened. “Next thing you know they’ll be trying to tear off my face.”
“Gods, what the hells is wrong with you? Shut up already.” Arielle elbowed him in the gut. “They’re aware. There’s a difference. They can sense Elariya’s presence.”
“That’s even worse. That means they’ll come looking for her.” Garrick moved closer. “I swear, if Wolfe asks, I tried to stop this.”
“You didn’t, though,” Arielle teased with a playful smile.
“I considered it,” he retorted.
“If this works,” Arielle added quietly, “you’ll have had a hand in restoring Elariya’s memories. Imagine how happy Wolfe will be.”
Garrick pondered that and a thoughtful smile spread across his face. “Hmmm, that might get him off my back for at least a week. Maybe two.”
Arielle nodded with an enticing smile. “Now you’re thinking.”
“Fine. But let’s be quick about it. Especially in here. You know I’m right about the dragons. I don’t want to get eaten.”
“You won’t.” Arielle rolled her eyes at him. “We just need to get a little deeper.”
And that’s what we did.
We went deeper into the cavern where the air grew heavier. The stone here curved inward like the ribs of something enormous long dead.
I’d expected to see the twins but I sensed that they were sleeping. Hedion probably woke for a few minutes when he sensed me.
Given Garrick’s fears, it was probably best the dragons stayed away.
We reached the inner chamber where ancient scorch marks painted the walls in spirals. The stone floor was smooth, worn down by the creatures that had passed through over the centuries.
Arielle turned to me. “Let’s stop here. The dragons would have gathered as a group here.”
I looked around, my heart warming at the prospect of our plan working. Seeing the Nyzith strands helped. It gave me faith that we were at least on the right track. Now we’d find out if we were right.
“Center yourself,” Arielle said, taking the lantern from me. “Remember when you summon the threads, all you have to focus on is sensing your dragon. Magic responds to likeness.”
So, I had to focus on sensing magic that felt like mine.
I nodded.
“Please make sure you stop if you feel like you’re in danger,” Garrick warned. “This cave has hosted ancient dragons since the dawn of time. The residual magic here is unrestrained and unpredictable.”
“I’ll be careful,” I promised.
I grounded myself with a deep breath, took a moment to center myself, then focused on my magic. The moment it sparked I channeled it and invoked the time threads.
They appeared cluster by cluster, like stars twinkling in the night sky. And they weren’t gold. These were silver with a blueish tint.
Arielle and Garrick gasped when they saw them.
Garrick was about to issue another warning but Arielle shushed him.
The cave breathed around us, coming alive in a different way. The time continuum rippled too, powerful and alluring.
The more I connected with this new ability of mine the deeper I felt, drawn to the stories within the threads.
I didn’t even need to see what lay beneath to know how precious these threads were.
All sorts of dragons had indeed passed through here. And within the mass of threads, I sensed the pulse of the one I was looking for. It was faint but somewhere here. I just had to follow the connection.
“That way,” I whispered, pointing ahead.
I led the way and Arielle and Garrick followed.
The cave hummed beneath my feet with every step I took.
I lifted my hands and let the threads rise.
I let my awareness stretch, searching, searching. We kept walking.
Then the pulse grew stronger.
It brushed against my senses and my heart stumbled. Warmth unfurled through my chest, spreading outward until my fingers trembled.
I was close. I could feel it stronger now.
The threads shifted, rearranging themselves as if responding to a call I hadn’t consciously made.
Then I saw it. One strand in the sea glowed brighter than the rest, its glow the color of a stormy sky.
I stepped toward it and wrapped my hand around the middle of the thread.
It thrummed then it hummed as if recognizing me too.
“This is it,” I said, holding it up.
“You did it.” Arielle breathed, glancing back at Garrick, who stared at me intrigued.
“Welcome, Daughter of the Hourglass,” the voices from the other day returned, startling me.
“What in the hells was that?” Garrick snapped, looking around frantically.
“Garrick, please. Shhhh.” Arielle swatted him in the arm.
I regained my focus.
“Ask of us what you seek,” the voices continued.
“Reveal to me,” I whispered.
“As you wish.”
The thread ignited. Light flared around us and images came into view, flickering until they steadied at my will.
We stood in the past. And before me rose a dragon of gray and white scales. It was massive and terrible and beautiful. Silver veins traced the ridges of its wings and its eyes were pale as frost, intelligent and endless.
It lowered its head and looked right at me. I swore it could see me.
I should have been afraid, but I was too intrigued to think about fear.
This was my dragon.
Mine in the way the sky belongs to the stars that burn within it.
I knew it the way you know your own heartbeat, because it answered mine.
I reached out to touch it.
“No,” Arielle called out. “Don’t touch it. We must only interact with the magical essence.”
I pulled my hand back immediately, partly chastising myself. I almost broke a cardinal rule, but I’d been so intrigued.
I’ll be seeing you soon then, dragon.
At least I knew what he looked like. And that he was male. I sensed it.
The dragon did not move away.
It exhaled slowly, and the thread pulsed again.
“Take the essence now, Elariya,” Arielle said, pointing to the vial in my hand.
Carefully, I held it up in the air just above my head. “Arteumas,” I chanted.
A cloud of silver dust peeled away from the dragon and flowed right into the vial. The dragon’s gaze never left me and I felt that he was truly watching me. Once the dust was inside, it braided together to form a warm glow.
I corked the vial and held it to my chest. “I got it.”
Garrick stared. “Good, now let’s get out of here.”
I looked back at my dragon, waved a hand to break the connection with the time continuum and the vision dissolved, taking the dragon with it.
The thread faded next along with the others and the cavern returned to normal.
I looked at the vial in my hand and prayed to the Blessed Mother and all the Gods who would listen that it would help.
The Hollow Room had a different vibe about it today. Something that wasn’t there last night. Like the manor dared to hope with us.
Arielle and Garrick stood behind me, getting ready to put up the shield. I’d just finished laying out the crystals around the dragon parchment.
The space was ready and so was I.
I had the vial with the dragon essence in my pocket to use when the map went live. I picked up the athame and signaled to Arielle and Garrick that I was ready to start.
“Good luck, my Lady,” Garrick said with a softer smile. He was less tense now that we were here.
Arielle smiled too. “You got this. Just remember to let the essence guide you.”
“I will.”
“Hey, when this is over, we’ll get Sirril to make us a mountain of cupcakes.”
I laughed, but then I regained my focus.
Arielle and Garrick did too. They glanced at each other, nodded and spread out their arms. Then they began chanting. A wall of light erupted from their palms then it surrounded us. The shield was up.
I placed the tip of the athame to my palm and sliced. I didn’t have Wolfe to numb my hands so I’d have to bear the pain. It was a small price to pay.